Brussels, 17/03/2014 (Agence Europe) - The ports package has been postponed until the next Parliament. The decision was made on Monday 17 March at the EP's transport committee. The dossier appears to be cursed as two previous port packages were also rejected by the European Parliament.
MEPs were due to vote on Tuesday 18 March on access to the port services market and port financial transparency. During a debate on Monday 17 March, rapporteur Knut Fleckenstein (S&D, Germany) pointed out that it would be better to leave this dossier to the side during the remaining period of this Parliament. The timetable and the complexity were the two main reasons for this decision, as well as the ongoing review of legislation on state aid. There was a risk that the port package could be adopted without updating rules on competition. The rapporteur said that the negotiations would not have to start from scratch in the next European Parliament. Saïd El Khadraoui (S&D, Belgium), Dominique Riquet (EPP, France) and Gesine Meissner (ALDE, Germany) approved the decision to suspend the procedure so as to avoid any rash decisions being taken.
Commission retreat? Philip Bradbourn (Conservative, United Kingdom) unambiguously expressed himself in favour of total withdrawal of the European Commission proposal on the port package. The chair of the transport committee, Brian Simpson (S&D, United Kingdom) backed the rapporteur's request and firstly criticised the poor timeframe suggested by the Commission by stating that regulations should not be churned out during the last months of this legislature. He then criticised the lack of substance in the package, which did not take into account handling, pilot services or dredging. He said that this was an opportunity for the Commission to withdraw this rather weakened port package. At this stage, the European Commission does not appear to want to withdraw its proposal. The Commission says that it hopes that a good text from the Council can be obtained resulting in an agreement that can win the support of MEPs at the next Parliament. (MD)